Abstract
Citation
Yoder A, Berezowitz C, Hanna E, Schoeller D. Farm to School Activity Tracker as an Accurate and Reliable Measure of Farm to School Programming. J Hunger Environ Nutr 2017;12(4):481-494.
Abstract
The Farm to School Activity Tracker (F2SAT) allows diverse farm to school (F2S) programs to use a consistent tool for recording and tracking-related activities. Divided into 4 domains—school meals, classroom education, engagement activities, and gardening activities—the F2SAT is an accurate and reliable tool for cross-comparison of F2S program activities. Testing of the F2SAT occurred in 2 phases. The first stage tested accuracy using rankings by expert F2S mangers. The second stage tested interrater reliability as 5 assessors used the tool to measure the same F2S activities. This testing concluded that the F2SAT provides both a common language and form of measurement for practitioners and researchers. Further development of the F2SAT requires a broader pool of practitioners and researchers using the tool and reporting on how accurately and reliably it tracks their F2S activities.
Full Text
The full text is available at https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19320248.2016.1227753
At A Glance
Food Environment Variables
| # | Type of Environment/Institution |
|---|---|
| 16 | School (K-12) |
| - | Gardens |
| Measure | objective | perceived |
|---|---|---|
| Availability/Access | ✔ | ✘ |
| Food Group/Type of Food |
|---|
| Fruits and vegetables |
Domain(s)
Food Environment
Measure Type
Questionnaire
Measure Availability
Measure included in article
Number of Items
4 Reported
Study location
Small Town/Rural, Not Reported
Wisconsin, USA
Languages
English
Information about Development of Measure
Farm to School Activity Tracker (F2SAT) was developed as a means for F2S programs to record, monitor, and evaluate the activities comprising their programs. The F2SAT was designed by evaluators of F2S programs and by a nonprofit gardening/education specialist with experience implementing F2S programming. Feedback from state and regional F2S leaders helped to refine the tool's simplicity and ease of use.
Study Design
Study Participants
Age
6 - 11 Years
Sex
Female
Male
Race/Ethnicity
Hispanic
White
Black/African American
Asian
American Indian/Alaska Native
Multiethnic/racial population (no further detail)
Predominantly Low-income/Low-SES
Yes
Sample Size
16
Study Design
Design Type
Validation/Reliability
Health Outcomes Assessed
None
Obesity Measures
Not applicable
BMI Measured or Self-reported
Not applicable
Covariates
Not available
Data Reported on Race/Ethnicity
Quantitative data on study sample
Data Reported on SES
Quantitative data on study sample
SES-related Variables
Program Participation (e.g., WIC, Free/Reduced School Meals)
How To Use
Administration
Who Administered
Researcher-administered
How Administered
In-person
Time Required
Not reported
Training Required
Not reported
Instructions on Use
Instructions on instrument use included in article
Data Analysis
Data Collection/Analysis Costs
Not reported
Data Collection/Protocol
Activity data were collected in two stages, and included schools (grades three through five) participating in the Wisconsin Farm to School Evaluation. Stage one was during the 2010â2011 academic year and stage two occurred from September through November 2013. In the first stage, data were collected via an online questionnaire and electronically submitted school lunch information from Wisconsin AmeriCorps F2S members and health department staff who worked directly with schools implementing F2S programs. In the second stage, data were collected via a combination of an online questionnaire and supplemental electronic documents.
Instructions on Data Analysis
Instructions on analysis included in article
Validity (1)
| Type of validity | Construct/subscale assessed | Criterion measure used | Test/statistic used | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Criterion | Farm to School Activity Tracker, activity domain scores | Expert rankings (comprehensive) | Spearman rank correlation coefficient | r = â0.15, NS to 0.71, p < 0.001 |
Reliability (1)
| Type of reliability | Construct/subscale assessed | Test/statistic used | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inter-rater | Farm to School Activity Tracker, activity domain | Coefficient of variation (CV) | CV = 0.44 to 1.43 |